The college athletic plans of Rod Cosgrove and Singleton were announced Wednesday afternoon during a ceremony at Leesburg High School.

"You have both ends of our program here," Leesburg Coach Charles Nassar said. "With Rod, even when he was a ninth-grader, we knew that one day he would end up here [signing with a college] He has a great arm, great presence on the field.

"Demetrius was very small as a ninth-grader, but he kept coming out, working in the weight room, and through that, he gained a lot of confidence in himself."

Though brothers Rod and Rob will be at the same university, they will not play on the same team, or even in the same sport.

Rob, who is a year older, plays for the Crusaders on their basketball team, where he averaged 4.2 points and 2.1 rebounds as a 6-foot-7 freshman center.

But Rod said it will be comforting to know that he will be back in the same school as his brother.

He said he went to Susquehanna to watch Rob play in two basketball games this past season, and that the Crusaders' coaches already had asked Rob about Rod coming up there before he made an official visit to the Selinsgrove, Pa., campus in February.

The Crusaders play a spread offense, similar to the one that Leesburg employs, which should make the adjustment a little easier for Cosgrove.

"That is one reason why I wanted to go there; I was comfortable with their offense so I don't have to learn a whole new offense," Cosgrove said. "They have a starting quarterback coming back from last year, but they had a rough year, so maybe I can come in and compete for the starting position."

The Crusaders, who play NCAA Division III football, were 2-8 last season.

The 5-foot-6 Singleton, whose older brother, Oran, set numerous rushing records at Leesburg and is among the state's career rushing leaders, has improved his strength, speed and confidence during his time at Leesburg.

Nassar said Averett, also an NCAA Division III program in Danville, Va., plans to use Singleton in much the same manner that Florida uses -- Percy Harvin -- as a slot back who will be asked not only to carry the ball, but he also will be used as a receiver.

"The combination of his work in the weight room and on the track helped him drop his times," Nassar said. "He went from being a person who was just happy to be on the football team to someone who was an integral part of our team."

Said Singleton: "Sometimes when you are smaller, it is harder for them to tackle you," Singleton said.

"But it is more difficult when you do have to go up to catch a pass. I am just glad that they will be using me to my advantage at Averett."

In addition to Averett, Singleton also was being recruited by Maryville (Tenn.) College and Thiel College in Greenville, Pa.